New shop items

 A few Chilligirl shop items now available ...  Okarito Market Day again in a few weeks so busy sewing up some Chilligirl handmade goodies.
Also doing a homemade icecream stall so will be a busy day!

Post-Holiday Blues

Hi there! We are now back from our big holiday with the kids to Thailand, was beautiful, hot, relaxing etc everything you need on holiday on a tropical island/s, a little full-on at times with the kids and LOTS of people which we are definately not used to living here on the coast!
Finding it hard to get back into the swing of life, and in desperate need of somewhere to sew up some more goodies for my shop - think i am going to have to use the kids new wooden table they got for their birthdays.  Because we have also shifted (just before we left on holiday), I traded my small house with the big bench for a slightly bigger house with no bench.  Hmmmm. 
I have been crocheting up a storm however, hats for the whole family, a cowl scarf for me, and now knitting some gloves for me too (before summer comes!)
Will attach a few photos from holiday of some inspiring paintings/colours...  Ka Kite Ano, see you again soon!  Tash

 Silk cocoons from the Phuket Butterfly and Insect Garden
They had a great display all about how they make silk, including traditional Thailand techniques and looms etc. 

 

Butterfly cocoons all lined up ready to hatch! And some older ones...

 

 

Hand painted pillar at The Big Buddha shrine,

Koh Samui, Thailand

'In Limbo'

'In Limbo', Acrylic and Stitch on Cotton, made for The Left Bank Gallery Canvas Fundraising Project next month. 

Well, this month we have shifted house, organized and booked our honeymoon/OA (Overseas Adventure) bought a shipping container (to fit all our stuff in that doesn't fit in our bigger but-lacking-in-storage new house) battled with the phone company to get the phone on, and celebrated our wee boy's 1st birthday.. and I've just finished my work for The Left Bank Gallery's Canvas Fundraising Project next month!!  and all without having any internet at home...  which is a major problem and my excuse for not blogging.. or doing any work for my shop... (if you were wondering where i went?)
It's been busy....
We are off to Thailand for our 2 1/2 year awaited honeymoon-with-the-kids
which is pretty exciting!  Hope to be able to post photos on here but will see how much fun we are having..
Kia Kaha (keep strong)
Tash

Fibre Fungi's I - III

Pics of 'Fibre Fungis' which will be at The Left Bank Gallery,

Greymouth,  from next weekend until the end of May.  All are crocheted embroidery cotton over wire.

There is actually a fourth one, which was my favourite as it was a bit oblong shaped and had quite different sizes 'holes'.  I was making it the night before I had to drive to Greymouth, so I didn't get around to photographing it!  Slack artist, I know, but I also know that the gallery will take pics of them all too...! 

Toothache past few days so not much in the way of creating happening, let alone anything else...  big storm tonight which is pretty exciting as it has been a year or so since we had one.  xoxo



Family Forest Walk

We went for a nice little walk the other day into the bush across the road from our house...... Had lots of ideas of a Forest Fairy birthday party here!

New Shop

I now have a new shop on Etsy! I'm pretty excited.  You can have a look over to the right where it says Chilligirl Shop... Here are a few previews of what I have there...

I have been making a few bags this week, which has been loads of fun.  Have had to restrain myself somewhat from keeping them all... I have alot already, but somehow I have been making myself one out of my baby blanket - it's NZ wool in multicoloured pastels (if your'e a NZ'er you'll know the one!).
Another beautiful day although getting colder at night and mornings. 
Have been reading a great novel by a NZ author, Sarah Laing, called 'Dead Peoples Music'.  I'm finding it quite inspiring, as it's of course about music.  I have been concentrating all my spare time (and not spare time!) on my art and craft work, that I miss my guitar.  Hopefully one day soon I will have time for both!!

Somehow I came upon this blog from Emma Ruth, I think it was from the latest Frankie Magazine newsletter.  She stitches one word a day, and in a graphically awesome way  - you can see it here. I think she is up to something like 80 days...
Raining...  finally!!  Although I was enjoying the beautiful days don't get me wrong.  Baby asleep. Husband and daughter having a 'shed' day building stuff.  Might get time to finish crocheting my basket fungi! Oh no, child is here demanding morning tea. Damn.  Ka kite ano (see ya!)

Giveaway Winner

Busy busy day today with the Fox Glacier  Big Day Out (somewhat unlike the other event of the same name!) where the kids and I went for a 5km walk(mostly both kids in the buggy) followed by a full on 4 year old girlfriend of R's  birthday party.  I did draw the giveaway yesterday, the winner was Tom Arnold of Christchurch, who (hopefully) got my facebook message about it!

Giveaway

The Okarito Market Day; Summer Harvest was a huge success for me, and a beautiful day full of friends and kids and sun!  Thanks to everyone for their support and great feedback, much appreciated.
Don't forget I'm drawing the giveaway on Friday - so leave a comment or sign up to my blog to be in to win a brooch by Chilligirl (aka me!)
I am now working on a group Fibre Art exhibition, to be held at The Left Bank Gallery, Greymouth, next month - called The F Word.  Not quite sure what I'm going to do yet but I was watching David Attenbourough the other night and fell in love with basket fungi - thought I might try crocheting it with some jewellery copper wire my brother got me from Wellington.  Will post pics if it works!
Tash

Some more Art in the Park work I have left over - 'Ruru in a Tree' (detail) Acrylic and pencil on cotton, in a black shadowbox frame

GIVEAWAY

Well, I'm having my first giveaway!!!!
So, all you need to do is to sign up to my blog here
and/or go to http://www.facebook.com/ChilligirlTash 'Like' my page and/or leave a comment if you want to win a Chilligirl handmade brooch of your choosing (from the current stock at end of giveaway).  Winners will be drawn in old school style (out of a hat!) on 6th April 2012 in one months time....  Good luck!!
Tash

Fundraising Project

I have been asked to do a painting for the Left Bank Gallery's Canvas Fundraising Project which they hold every year in July, to keep the Gallery running as it is pretty much self-funded.  So watch this space!  Thinking I might do some more embroidered paintings as they are fun and a little bit different, and people seem to like them!
Tash

Art in the Park Weekend

Well, here are a few pics from my stall at Art in the Park in Shantytown, (Greymouth, West Coast NZ) over the weekend. Sadly no brooches sold but that gives me lots of stock for our Okarito Market Day in a few weekends, and possibly even the Franz Josef Gala Day the weekend before. Sold lots of cards which were of my Kokako drawing (see a few blogs ago...)  and sold the original Kokako drawing too!!

Using my Grans walnut cutlery box for displaying my brooches and patches(top, and i think that's what it is) and my late Nanas suitcase for more patches and cards.

This embroidered painting 'Thistle Field' also sold.  I would love to do some more like this...  Inspiration came from up the road where I walk the dog and kids, there are hundreds of beautiful purple thistles as the mower hasn't been all summer.  They are surrounded by yellow sandy coloured grass as it's been so dry over here (in the rainforest!) and as everyone else in the country has been having a terrible summer, we have been rocking it..  So the background grasses and blue sky are painting onto cotton, and then the thistles are embroidered on top.  Everyone loved them which was awesome and encouraging!

In the Words of Pink Floyd: Is There Anybody Out There?

Feeling a little tired today. Up 4x in the night with both kids.  Accomodation guests making me feel even more tired (and a little lazy) by stretching under my window for their early morning run.  Wishing I had time to exercise.
On a good note, have finished reading my Frankie magazine from cover to cover, stealing moments here and there between things.  Just in time for the new issue out in a few days.  I have to get my brother to post it down from Wellington as can't get Frankie here :)
Wondering if there is anybody out there reading my blog (apart from you Ed (my faithful No 1 and only Follower.) ??????  Hello???
Possibly i need to be more exciting in my posts???
Feedback? Anyone?? Hmmm....
Will try to be more inventive tomorow perhaps. Come back then
Arohanui, Tash

A Sneek Preview

Here is a sneak preview into what I have been working on for Art in the Park Shantytown on March 2 and 3rd..  Pencil, acrylic paint and stitch on cotton.
Let me know what you think about this combination!! ??

This is the brooch I crocheted with the hemp string my brother gave me for xmas..

and some new fabric Chilligirl labels all ready for cutting up and stiching.. Pretty exciting...  if you want to know how to make these here is the tutorial. It was way easier than trying the heat transfer paper method which i just couldn't get to work... might be my old printer however.

not sure what to blog today so thought i would post a pic of my new porcelin espresso cup! sitting on top of my favourite plate..
Working on my exhibit for Art in the Park at the moment, but will try to remember to blog...  Tash

kokako study

 A kokako drawing for my new works for Art in the Park next month..
trying to combine drawing with some paint and stitch for texture
sorry haven't blogged for ages, had trouble uploading this pic and had to downsize it a bit..
On a good note, have been selling quite a lot of brooches out of the Kayak shop, and one painting from (there also) last week woohoo!
Season has been pretty busy, but we did manage a one-night camping trip to Lake Paringa a few weeks ago, took our wooden dinghy and caught some trout which we cooked up for dinner when we got home that night, our trout special meal of pan fried trout with mushrooms, onions garlic, and wee bit of chilli (after we have served R) ontop of rice, topped with oyster sauce and mayo... is yum!!!  a thai dish adapted for our family...
hoping this beautiful weather keeps up so i can get a few more swims in before autumn..
Happy holidays.... Tash

Xmas Treats

A xmas present from my brother......   i immediately started crocheting it just to see how it would go... will post pic soon! Merry Xmas and Happy New year xxxxx Tash